An advanced senior fellowship in exercise cardiology at Boston Children’s Hospital is a six- to 12-month training program designed to prepare congenital cardiologists for a career that includes exercise diagnostics, therapeutics, and research.

Exercise testing and training

The Department of Cardiology Exercise Physiology Lab at Boston Children’s has one of the highest exercise testing volumes in the country and one of only a few dedicated cardiac fitness (rehab) programs specifically designed for patients with congenital and pediatric acquired cardiac conditions. The Department of Cardiology has four fully functional exercise labs, two additional dedicated outpatient cardiac fitness rooms, and one inpatient cardiac fitness room. The exercise staff includes highly-skilled congenital cardiac exercise physiologists and dedicated faculty with direct oversight of the program.

Scope of training

The senior fellow will study advanced exercise physiology and adaptations in congenital heart disease, learn about test selection, and gain experience in testing and interpretation. For exercise therapeutics, there will be regular hands-on opportunities to develop exercise prescriptions, learn risk stratification and delivery of exercise therapy (in-person and virtual cardiac fitness sessions), and perform exercise counseling.

Schedule

A sample four-week repeating schedule is below. The schedule has built-in flexibility to individualize depending on the senior fellow’s specific interests. There is a service requirement of two weeks on the consult team, but no call duties. As part of the 12-month program, the senior fellow will develop an independent research project with protected time to bring it to completion, supported by expert cardiology faculty and amplified by access to experts across the greater Harvard Medical School system. The Benderson Family Heart Center has an advanced research infrastructure, with more than 15 years of digitized exercise data linked to cardiac diagnoses and patient information databases. The clinical research team can assist with statistical software and analysis.

Ample opportunities also exist for educational projects and clinical program development. The senior fellow will also actively participate in the didactic and clinical conferences available to all cardiology fellows throughout the Benderson Family Heart Center and will take an active role in the teaching of pediatric residents, medical students, and categorical cardiology fellows through case-based learning and simulation.

Application

The Advanced Senior Fellowship in Exercise Cardiology Program will accept one fellow per year, pending availability of funding. Fellows selected for an advanced fellowship in exercise cardiology must have completed training in pediatric or adult congenital cardiology.

To apply to the Advanced Senior Fellowship in Exercise Cardiology Program, download the application here.

Timeline

• Deadline for completed application: Oct. 1 for fellowships beginning July 1 of the following year
• Interviews: Oct. 1 through Nov. 30
• Final selection: Dec. 31

Contact information

Allison Flanagan, CCT
Coordinator, Advanced Senior Fellowship in Exercise Cardiology
Exercise Lab Operations Specialist
Boston Children’s Hospital
Department of Cardiology
300 Longwood Ave., BCH 3215
Boston, MA 02115
Phone: 617-919-6617
Fax: 617-730-4769
allison.flanagan@cardio.chboston.org

Naomi Gauthier, MD
Director, Advanced Senior Fellowship in Exercise Cardiology
Director, Cardiac Fitness Program
Boston Children’s Hospital
Department of Cardiology
300 Longwood Ave., BCH 3215
Boston, MA 02115
naomi.gauthier@cardio.chboston.org

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